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L'école des femmes (The School for Wives) is a theatrical comedy written by the 17th century French playwright Molière and considered by some critics to be one of his finest achievements. It was first staged at the Palais Royal theatre on December 26, 1662 for the brother of the King. The play depicts a character who is so intimidated by femininity that he resolves to marry his young, naïve ward and proceeds to make clumsy advances to this purpose. It raised some outcry from the public, which seems to have recognized Molière as a bold playwright who would not be afraid to write about controversial issues. In June 1663, the playwright cunningly responded to the uproar against this play with another piece entitled La Critique de L'École des femmes, in which he provided some explanation for his unique style of comedy.^[1] A musical adaptation entitled The Amorous Flea was staged off-Broadway in 1964.

Its characters include:

• ARNOLPHE, also known as MONSIEUR DE LA SOUCHE
• AGNÈS, an innocent young girl, Arnolphe's ward
• HORACE, Agnès' lover, Oronte's son
• ALAIN, a peasant, Arnolphe's MANSERVANT
• GEORGETTE, a peasant woman, servant to Arnolphe
• CHRYSALDE, a friend of Arnolphe's
• ENRIQUE, Chrysalde's brother-in-law, Agnès' father
• ORONTE, Horace's father and Arnolphe's old friend
• A NOTARY

The scene is a square in a provincial city.

Arnolphe, the main protagonist, is a man of 42 years who has groomed the young Agnès since birth. He becomes obsessed with avoiding the fate of cuckoldry, and seeks to bring up Agnès in such a manner that she will be too innocent to do this to him. In order to do this, he resolves, as her tutor, to keep her from learning anything that might lead her astray. Right from the very first scene, Chrysalde warns Arnolphe of his downfall, but Arnolphe takes no notice.

Horace arrives on the scene ahead of his father and Arnolphe's friend Oronte, and falls in love with Agnès. Not realizing that Arnolphe and Monsieur de la Souche are the same person, Horace unwittingly confides all his activities towards Agnès to Arnolphe. Arnolphe then schemes in order to out-manoeuvre Horace and ensure that Agnès will marry him.

Arnolphe becomes more and more frustrated as the play goes on. Agnès continues to have rendez-vous with Horace despite Arnolphe's displeasure until, finally, a misunderstanding leads Arnolphe to believe that Agnes has agreed to marry him and Agnes to believe that Arnolphe has given her permission to marry Horace. When they realize the real beliefs of the other person, Arnolphe forbids her from seeing Horace. That last comes to Arnolphe, asking for his help in rescuing Agnes from "Monsier de la Souche" So, Horace and Agnes's plan was moot.

The final act provides great irony when Oronte and Enrique arrive on the scene and announce that Horace is to marry Enrique's daughter - which turns out to be Agnès, rendering all of Arnolphe's scheming useless.

• Plot overview (in French)
• South Coast Repertory articles on The School for Wives

1. ^ Molière." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 4 Dec. 2007 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-12110>.

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